Tragically Beautiful
by PoeticProphet
Summary: RedxGreen fanfic based on the idea of Red being the one responsible for the death of Green's Raticate. Something odd happens, bringing them unknowingly closer to one another.


When he told me about the death of his beloved Raticate, I could see the grief dull his usually vibrant emerald eyes. My trademark composed persona, became unhinged for a brief moment where I revealed a look of surprise and then, guilt. He never said it outright, but I knew he blamed me for the loss of his Pokemon.

I shut my eyes for a few seconds, unable to look at the saddened face of my rival. I opened them back up to see his green eyes alit with fiery determination, his fists clenched, and he appeared to be trembling slightly.

"I won't give up," he said in a low voice at first. His voice grew stronger and louder as he said, "I'll beat you someday Red and become a Pokemon Champion! For my Raticate…," he finished in a whisper.

At that moment, I saw the cocky, childish rival I've known since I was a child, transform into a mature man with an honorable purpose. He was no longer only after beating me for his own vain reasons - he now sought to avenge a friend.

He looked as if he wanted to punch me, but I knew he tried very hard to restrain himself. I didn't put my guard up. If he wanted to hit me, I would allow him to express his grief onto me, even if it meant trading in my own pain for some relief on his heart.

Green didn't hit me though, he only stared at me with those intense emerald eyes of his. I didn't say anything to him. I gazed back into his eyes with sorrowful eyes - trying my best to convey to him how truly sorry I was.

I saw him notice my internal apology reflected in my eyes, and he unclenched his fists and looked away from me. His determined expression faded and he looked as if he was about to break down and cry. He was staring at his Raticate's grave, and I too, looked down at it. I saw a colorful array of fresh flowers on top of the marble stone with the words, 'I love you, friend,' etched across the grave's face.

Green couldn't stand the pain any longer, and he turned away with his hands over his face as he walked away quickly out of the building. I couldn't find it in myself to stop him from leaving as I remained transfixed near the grave. I knelt down to see my own reflection staring back at me from the shiny surface of the stone. I touched the top of the grave and felt the cold, smooth, marble under the palm of my hand as I rubbed it lovingly. "I'm sorry…," I whispered softly and took off my cap and placed it over my heart.

I didn't know that Green had returned and was secretly watching me show my respects to his beloved friend. A tear slipped from my eye and down my face, and fell on top of the tomb. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I flinched. I looked up to see Green grinning sadly down at me. He knelt down and hugged me close to him. I clutched onto him and felt my heart warm up from his own beating against my chest.

We remained in our silent embrace when suddenly, a miracle happened. Neither of us weren't sure if we both had gone crazy or we were hallucinating from all the burning incense fumes filling up the room. A light flickered before our eyes - burning slowly at first, but then emitted into a glowing familiar shape.

Green's eyes widened with utter shock and so did mine. Sitting in front of us was Green's deceased Raticate. Both of us couldn't look away from the apparition and didn't dare blink - afraid if we did, the image in front of us would disappear.

The Raticate had a huge smile on its face as it moved towards Green to rub its head lovingly against his leg. "Rati…cate," Green said in disbelief as the Raticate chattered happily and continued to smile warmly up at Green - his master he loved in life and even in death.

I looked down at the entity frozen in my spot while Green was now openly crying as the Raticate continued to console its master. I noticed that it was fading more and more with each passing second. Green cried and tried in vain to grasp onto the mirage, swinging his hands over and over through the shade's torso - his hands brushing through only smoke and air. The Raticate remained happily smiling as it faded away entirely, leaving nothing but the fumes of incense circling in its place.

Green was still swiping at the air relentlessly as he sobbed loudly. I walked over to him cautiously and stopped him by holding him firmly in my arms. He grabbed onto my vest fiercely as he sobbed hard against my chest. I looked at the spot where the Raticate had appeared and hoped and prayed it would return to fill the hole that was now permanently in Green's heart. It never returned even though Green devoutly visited its grave every single day in hopes he would see the apparition of his Raticate once more.

I would secretly follow him up to Lavender Town's Pokemon Tower to watch him sadly staring at the grave of his Raticate with a lone incense burning away in his hand, praying with his eyes closed for his friend to return to him. Sometimes I thought I saw his eyes flicker over to the spot where I hid to observe him, but he never turned around or acknowledged me if he did. He would only remain in prayer meditation as the incense slowly burned down to its core, and then he'd leave. It was the same routine every day at the same time. But today was different. Once the incense became extinguished, I noticed that this time, he wasn't leaving. Instead, he sat down and stared longingly at the words on the marker that I felt were etched onto my own heart. He ran his hand over the carved words and smiled - the first time I've seen him smile in so long.

I continued to watch him silently and felt my heart go out to the boy I've grown fond of over the years. I clutched the spot on my chest where his tears once soaked the skin encased over my heart and whispered softly, "I love you, friend," and walked away.


End file.
